Hunt leads Purdue over Indiana State

The following is an update on former Newton County high school players and their on-the-field performances during the 2013 season:

Akeem Hunt, Newton- Hunt had a productive game for Purdue in the team’s second contest of the season, totaling a game-high 243 all-purpose yards in the Boilermakers’ 20-14 victory over Indiana State.

Hunt finished the contest with 82 yards rushing on 22 carries, averaging 3.7 yards per attempt. Hunt also grabbed two passes for 38 yards with a long catch of 25 yards.

The Purdue junior returned a pair of kicks for 123 total yards on special teams.

Hunt currently leads the Boilermakers in rushing and all-purpose yards through two games this season, averaging 51.3 yards on the ground and 144.5 all-purpose yards a game.

Hunt and Purdue host rival Notre Dame at 6 p.m. this Saturday in the Gold and Black rivalry contest.

D.J. Hill, Newton- Hill and the Virginia Cavaliers suffered a 59-10 defeat to No. 3 Oregon this past weekend, but

Hill recorded three total tackles in the loss, including half of a tackle-for-loss.

Hill finished the contest against the Ducks with one solo tackle while assisting on two others.

Hill’s tackle-for-loss came on the Ducks’ final drive of the game.

Hill and the Cavaliers will resume action on Sept. 21 when they host the Virginia Military Institute for a 3:30 p.m. contest.

Devon Edwards, Alcovy- Edwards and the Duke Blue Devils moved to 2-0 for the first time since 1998 after defeating Memphis 28-14 this past weekend.

Edwards participated, but did not record a tackle in the Duke win.

The Blue Devils take the field this weekend against Coastal Division rival Georgia Tech at home at 3:30 p.m. this Saturday.

Deandre Rashada, Newton- In Alabama State’s second game of the season, Rashada recorded five total tackles in a 30-23 loss to Jackson State.

Rashada tallied a pair of solo tackles in the Southwestern Athletic Conference contest, while assisting on three others.

Rashada finished tied for seventh in total tackles on the team with his 5-tackle performance.

The loss drops the Yellow Jackets to 0-2 on the season with SWAC opponent Arkansas-Pine Bluff up next this weekend on the road at 4 p.m.

James Johnson, Eastside- Johnson and the William & Mary Tribe earned their first win of this season this past weekend, downing Hampton University 31-7.

Johnson started at left guard for the Tribe in the win. Johnson and the Tribe’s offensive line gave up no sacks in the victory, while helping the offense total 383 total yards, including 277 yards on the ground.

William & Mary travels for its second road game of this season this weekend at Lafayette College in Easton, Pa., for a 6 p.m. kickoff.

Shaquille Huff, Eastside- While Huff and Middle Tennessee State were unable to come away with a win in Chapel Hill, N.C., this weekend, the red-shirt junior defensive tackle did record a pair of tackles in the contest.

The Blue Raiders fell 40-20 this past weekend to UNC, but Huff recorded a solo and an assisted tackle in the loss.

Huff and Middle Tennessee State return to action next week against Memphis in the Blue Raiders’ Hall of Fame game at 6 p.m. in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

Joaquin Ross, Alcovy- Ross and the Presbyterian Blue Hose evened their record to 1-1 on the year with a 42-24 victory over Brevard last weekend.

Ross had a pair of assisted tackles in the win.

Presbyterian travels to Furman this weekend in Greenville, S.C., for a noon game.

Dante Blackmon, Eastside- Blackmon and Appalachian State fell to 0-2 on the season after dropping a 24-21 decision to North Carolina A&T.

The 0-2 record is the first time the Mountaineers have dropped their first two games of a season since 2009.

Blackmon recorded a pair of assisted tackles in the loss, including half of a tackle-for-loss. The tackles were the first for the freshman this season.

The Mountaineers will have this weekend off before traveling to Elon on Sept. 21 in search of their first win of the season.

Sheldon Rankins, Eastside- Rankins recorded his first tackle of the season this past weekend in Louisville’s 44-7 win over Eastern Kentucky.

The sophomore was credited with an assisted tackle in the 37-point blowout.

Rankins and the Cardinals look to continue their hot start against rival Kentucky this weekend on the road at noon.

Broderick Alexander, Eastside- Alexander did not see action this weekend as Akron evened its record to 1-1 with a 35-33 last Saturday over James Madison.

The Zips return to action this weekend on the road against Michigan at noon.

Kingsley Ejike, Newton- Ejike did not participate in the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s 56-17 loss to No. 9 LSU this past weekend.

Ejike and the Blazers have two weeks off before they host their first home game of the season on Sept. 21 against Northwestern State at 2 p.m.

Treyvon Richardson, Newton- Richardson did not see action in Jackson State’s 30-23 win over Alabama State last Saturday.

Richardson and the Tigers will face Tennessee State this weekend for the Southern Heritage Classic in Memphis, Tenn., beginning at 6 p.m.